The Games We Play
by RickMichonne
Summary: AU set in the ASZ after Pete's death. The group have accepted that Rick and Jessie are dating . However, things start to fall apart when Rick decides to move Jessie and her family in. Friendships are tested. New and complicated feelings arise. A/N: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead or anything to do with this franchise.
1. Chapter 1

2 months since Pete's death.

Rick is glaring at an equally defiant and irritated Carl. The atmosphere is thick. Both looking at each other as if ready to kill the other. Judith lets out a giggle as the front door opens and Michonne steps over the threshold. She smiles and walks over to the drooling toddler sitting on the sofa behind her father with arms outstretched. She stops in her tracks. Realizing that she may have walked in on something and is about to apologize.

"You can't do this!" Carl yells, not caring that they were not alone anymore. Tears forming, yet not resolving his stance. "You can't do this!" He demanded. "You can't!" Carl straightens his back and tries desperately to will his tears away.

Rick utterly crestfallen, takes in a deep breath and softens his stance. He waits a few seconds collecting his thoughts then replies firmly "It isn't up to you. You are my kid. And this is how it's gonna be"

Carl is the first to acknowledge Michonne, breaking eye contact momentarily before regaining his death stare towards his father. "Have you even thought of what others in our group will think?! What I think?! What I feel?!" He takes a few steps back, disgust washing over him. "Have you even told Michonne?" Carl says low with sadness as tears flow freely now.

Michonne cannot take anymore and rushes to Carl. Wrapping her arms around him from behind while he faces his father. "Stop" She says softly while pulling Carl backward away from Rick. "Stop!" she says forcefully as Rick tries to walk over to his son. Carl's body is over come with emotion, as he crumbles into Michonnes embrace. She tries to usher the teenager to a seat but he refuses. He turns to face Michonne and hugs her.

He pulls back and looks her in the eyes. "I love you Mich. I love you like you were my mother. My best friend." Carl's voice breaks slightly. He hugs her once more, then says softly "I just...love you." She nods as he pulls away from her. He turns and slowly walks towards the staircase. Defeat written all over him.

Michonne's eyes are burning. She tries desperately to fight the tears and anger bubbling up within her. She waits till she can hear the faint sound of Carl's bedroom door shut. She walks over and picks Judith up. She kisses the toddlers head, and sits down while Judith eagerly tries to plant wet kisses on her cheek. When Rick finally looks at her, she motions to him to sit. Rick falls onto the single sofa and lets out a loud sigh. Michonne studies him to try and gleen as much as she can from his body language. "So, that was intense" Michonne says dryly.

Rick is at a loss for words, he tries to think of something to say back but only manages a nod.

Michonne stands with Judith and says "Don't go anywhere. I'm going to go and drop Judith off with Maggie. This environment isn't good for her". Rick nods and watches her leave.

* * *

Michonne is gone for about 5 minutes. When she returns, Rick is no longer sitting in the lounge. Frustrated she decides to check on Carl. Walking past the kitchen she notices a cup of hot tea, a streaming bowl of oatmeal and Rick seated opposite the meal. She walks in suspiciously. Wondering why Rick is avoiding eye contact. She sits and takes a sip of the chamomile tea. "So." She says tiredly. "And before you think of giving me the long story, please keep in mind that I have just finished my shift. All I want, is to fix this...whatever this is, and to have a shower and sleep. Oh, and thank you for breakfast" She smiles and Rick can't help but meet her eyes and smiles weakly at her. While she eats, she waits patiently for Rick to say something. Anything. By the end of the meal. Rick still hasn't said a word. So Michonne suggests, "Should I talk to Carl about this?"

Rick panics as Michonne stands and he grabs her arm, making her sit back down. He looks at her bowl, then to her eyes and says "I've asked Jessie to move in. Carl isn't dealing well with it" Rick is searching her face for any emotion, but finds none.

Michonnes heart sinks to the pit of her stomach, but she is careful not to give anything away. She quickly arranges her thoughts and quickly responds. "Oh, is that all? I'll talk to him after he's cooled down." She lets out a soft chuckle and looks him in the eye. "And congratulations. Don't worry, Carl will come around" There was a long pause, Rick desperately trying to get a read on her and failing. She smiles brightly at him and says cheerfully "You had better get to work Constable, you're going to be late. Four days in a row, if I can recall. Oh, and before I forget. There are a few panels on the west end of the wall that need looking at."

Rick smiles and stands, a little taken aback by her nonchalant attitude. He walks to the front door as Michonne follows behind. Rick turns to face her and says "Thank you. For everything you do..." he places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes gently and says in an almost whisper "Thank you" while maintaining eye contact a little longer than needed. He walks over the threshold and Michonne closes the door behind him.

She walks over to the dinning table and picks up her dishes. Her resolve and guard leaving her. She beings washing the dishes, choking back on tears. She turns off the water and decides to do it later. Leaning against the sink and tears streaming down her face, she whispers to herself "Pull yourself together... You don't love him... You can't."

* * *

As Rick walked down the steps of his house, he couldn't help but feel the need to go back in and check on Michonne. He stood there for almost 8 minutes contemplating what he should or shouldn't do when Glenn walks up to him.

"Hey, the west end of... You ok?" Glenn says, breaking Rick out of his thoughts while averting his eyes from Glenn.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about how we are going to fix the paneling on the west end of the wall."

Glenn's eye brows shot up questioningly. "Uh, you sure that's what you were thinking about?"

Rick looks at him and smiles. "Yeah. It was. Lets get going" With that Glenn and Rick walk off talking about how they were going to about fortifying the massive iron wall paneling.

* * *

Michonne walks up the stairs and heads straight for the bathroom. She washes her face and grabs a face cloth. She lets the cold water run over her hands and the cloth. She stares at herself in the mirror momentarily before wringing out the cloth and mumbling to herself, "Pathetic". She presses the cold cloth over her red swollen eyes. She feels ridiculous for allowing herself to fall in love with Rick. Now she was crying over a man, who would never love her the way she wanted. She looks at herself in the mirror and whispers angrily "You're an idiot..." She takes a deep breath then starts to walk down the corridor. Carl's bedroom is adjacent to hers so she decides to check in on Carl first before packing.

Carl is sitting on his bed. Still aggravated. Still upset. He hears a knock at the door and lets out a weak response "Come in". Hoping, wishing, praying that it was anybody else other than his father. Upon seeing Michonne's red eyes, he jumps out of bed and rushes over to hug her. She's hugging him back as fresh tears start to well in both their eyes. They hold each other for what seems to be eternity before Carl says in a broken voice. "Please don't leave...Please" every word is drenched in desperation as he clung on to her. "Please" he said once more hoping that, that would the 'please' that would change everything.

Michonne breaks their hug and says "You know I can't stay kiddo" tears still streaming down his face he nods sadly, knowing that if she stays, it might just be the end of her. "I know. I'm sorry. I know you love him...and us." He says looking away from her.

She grabs his face and smiles through her tears. "No. Don't be. Your dad doesn't need me anymore. He made his decision". Michonne places a soft kiss his forehead. "I'll be at Maggie and Glenn's until Jessie moves into here with her boys. It'll be a squeeze, but we'll make it work. And when they've moved all their stuff out of their house I will talk to Deanna to see if i can move into Jessie's home."

Carl listens and knows it's for the best. "Sounds good" is all Carl can manage with a sad smile. A few more seconds go by before Carl insists. "Let me know when you've packed your things. I want to help you move."

"Sure thing kiddo." With that she pats him on the shoulder and opens the door adjacent to his and walks into her room.

Carl stands there thinking that this had to be one of the worst days of his life. Today he would say good bye to his second mother. He knew that if they were not living in the same house they would never see each other. Michonne's schedule was hectic. She was the only other constable. So that meant she was on call 24/7. She was never off duty; and try as hard as he might to push those kinds of thoughts out of his head, they plagued him. Coming back stronger. Pushing him to the edge of depression.

* * *

Thirty minutes have passed and Michonne appears from her room carrying two duffel bags. She knocks on Carl's door. There is no answer. So she walks down the corridor and down the stairs. There she notices Carl standing at the front door patiently waiting. Hearing her foots steps on the hard wooden floors Carl turns to face her. He smiles and walks over to her while extending his hand to offer to carry a bag. She looks at him and says "It'll all work out" not believing a word she uttered.

He looks at her and replies "No. No, it wont." Taking in a deep breath he asks, "Mich, may I ask you a question?"

She smiles and replies "Yes. Of course, what is it?"

Carl looks around the room, uncertain as to how to ask said question. The thinks for a few seconds and then decides on being blunt and straight forward as the best option. "I know you love us. I feel it. And it helps that you say it to us. I know you have feelings for my father. And he has feelings for you."

Michonne scoffs and looks at him as if he has lost his mind. "Uh, where's the question? Those were all statements. Misguided statements nevertheless."

Carl clears his throat and starts again "You are so open with your love for me and Judith. Why can't you show my dad how you feel about him? Tell him..."

Michonne looks at the floor trying to think of something to change the subject. Her mind comes up blank. "Um... Well..."

Carl sees how uncomfortable he has made her and quickly tries to changes the subject. "Forget it. It was a stupid question." He turns to walk towards the door when Michonne grabs his arm.

With sadness in her eyes she replies. "Because, it's clear that even if your father knew how much I loved him...how much I love you and Judith. He would choose Jesse over me. Isn't that much clear to you?"

Carl didn't want to push it any further cause it was clear Michonne was hurting as much as he was. He nods, just wanting the conversation to be over. She manages a small smile and asks "Shall we get going? I still have to ask Glenn and Maggie if I can move in...so here's hoping they let me stay."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone that took the time to do one or all three: read, favorite and review my work. The 1st chapter was my FIRST attempt at writing Fanfiction, and I seriously didn't think anybody would read it. I stumbled on Fan-fiction just this year and fell in love with it. Thanks everyone for being so kind, y'all make me so happy! :) Sorry it took so long for me to add the new chapter. I had a lot on my plate this week. I hope you like it.

CodeName-M.e: I'm glad you liked it even though it made you cringe. Glad I could evoke that reaction from you.

Guest1: Yes, I agree. Rick is a fool :)

Guest2: I'm glad you took some time to say you liked my story. A little sad though that you're not a Richonne shipper though lol. And to be completely honest, I have never heard of Luke Bryan. I'm from NZ and country music isn't that big here.

Guest3: I think it's clear to everyone but Rick how attached his kids are to Michonne.

simple1234: I'm glad you're hooked! I honestly didn't think anyone would read this.

songbird11: There will definitely be someone else in the picture for Michonne. Rick is in for a rude awakening.

focusedOnProsperity: Yep, Rick is indeed an idiot. I'm a fan of your fan-fic by the way :)

Babe Malf: Thanks! :)

cacalier8503: So glad you enjoyed it. :)

idilisamonoalisa: Thank you so much. This is my first attempt at writing fan-fic or just any fiction really. I'm glad you liked it. :)

CallyGreen: Thanks for reading!

Oddkatout: Thanks for saying that :)

* * *

Carl knocked loudly on the door. He was starting to grow impatient, as it was the fourth time he had knocked without a response. He looked over at Michonne wondering what she was thinking. She sat on the top step of the front porch; quietly watching their neighbors go about their everyday activities.

"I guess they're out. Probably at the mall or something." He said sarcastically, trying to break her from her pensive state.

"Yeah. They're probably picking up some coffee for everyone. Oh god, I hope they bring me back a churro." She said with a bright smile as she looked back at him over her shoulder.

"Why do you do that?" Carl said slightly vexed as he ran a clammy hand through his hair. Her smile was getting under his skin and he couldn't understand how she could smile at a time like this.

"What?" She looked at him perplexed as her smile faded.

"That. Act like everything's OK?"

Michonne shrugged and took a few moments to organize her thoughts. "Um...because it will be. I still have you and Judith. I still have a family. There is still so much to be happy for. To be grateful for." She stood and walked over to him. "Besides, this is what your dad wants and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Yeah, but the thing is, you can do something!" Carl was nearly yelling at her. Frustration over the whole situation getting to him.

"Carl, please." Michonne said in a calm and even tone, trying to diffuse his sudden outburst. "I don't understand why you're upset with me... If I've done something..." She placed one hand on his shoulder trying to get a read on him. There were so many instances that she viewed Carl as a young man, mature beyond his years. But now all she could see was a scared child, trying to keep himself together. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Ashamed that he would raise his voice when speaking to her, Carl quickly averted his gaze when he heard her apologize. He took a deep breath and tried to control his tone. "No Mich, I'm sorry. You don't see it. But I do. Everyone does. You just have to sh-"

Carl was cut short as the front door swung open with such force that the whole front porch reverberated. A disheveled Daryl emerged. His eye brows arched as if to say, _what do you want?_

"What's all this?" Daryl asks, looking at the bags, then looking back and forth between Carl and Michonne. "One of y'all thinkin' bout movin' in?" He could sense some tension between the two, so he asked once more. "Carl? Mich? What's happenin'?" Still no one responded.

Not wanting to waste another moment standing and staring at each other, Daryl walked forward and picked up the two duffel bags and took them into the house.

"Hurry up and get in here. Just finished feeding Judith...she needs to be burped." Daryl said tiredly walking further into the house. "C'mon, I ain't got all day!"

* * *

"So le'me get this straight? He's moving his lil wifey in and kickin' family out?" Daryl said in disbelief.

"Not exactly..." Michonne sat on top of the kitchen island thinking while Daryl paced slowly. She was grateful that Carl let them talk privately in the kitchen while he looked after his little sister on the front porch.

"Then what Mich?" He was starting to get irritated. Thinking to himself that there was no way Rick would ever kick Michonne out.

"He'll need the space." She said matter-of-factly.

"And we don't? That don't make any sense. We were only given two houses when we got here. It's crowed as it is."

She took a deep breath the looked Daryl in the eyes. "I just can't...I can't see them together. Playing house and..." Her voice broke. Unable to go on, she took a deep breath and cast her eyes to the floor.

Daryl stopped pacing and looked at her seriously. Unsure how to respond. It was extremely rare for Michonne to show vulnerability. She always seemed so in control of everything. And now his friend sat in front of him on the verge of breaking down. "That bad, huh?" He managed after a few seconds.

"Yeah." She said as she quickly slid off the island and walked over to the window. She hoped that by putting some distance between them, Daryl would not be able to see the pain etched on her face. "I think I'm in love with him." She said in a low voice. Uncomfortable to admit it, even to herself. "I'm a fool to think we could have been something." Michonne quickly brushed away solitary tear that rolled down her cheek. She chastised herself inwardly, trying to regain more control of herself.

"You ain't no fool." Daryl walked over to her and draped his arm around her shoulders. "You ain't. We all thought it too. Y'all were getting pretty close. Rick's a dumb ass." He didn't bother to look down at her face as they both looked out the window. He felt her pain and he knew there was nothing else he could say that would help her. They stood there for a few minutes, then he gently squeezed her shoulder and turned to walk towards the staircase.

"Wait, Daryl!" Michonne called out to him before he could leave the room. "You didn't say if I could stay. Can I? Please?"

"You thought of stayin' with Gabriel and Morgan in the chapel?" Daryl asked turning slowly to face her.

"No. Please, no. I can't stand Gabriel." The look on Michonne's face was so desperate that he couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah," Daryl said still snickering, "thought so. OK. Move your things in my room."

"Your room? Are you sure?" Michonne asked, feeling guilty that she might be intruding on his personal space.

"Well if you thinkin bout bunkin' with Rosita and Abraham or Glenn and Maggie or Tara and Eugene, then be my guest. Plus I got twin beds."

"You weren't kidding about it being crowed over here" she chuckled at the thought. "Plus, it'll be just like old times." She said, thinking about the times they had to sleep in close quarters while pursuing the governor.

"Yeah. Just like old times..." He smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "But for now, please le'me sleep. Got in at four in the morning. And Maggie woke me up to look after Judith before she left." He rubbed his tired eyes and turned back to the staircase. "Oh, and uh...I got you a little gift from my trip. It's in the fridge. Enjoy" He didn't bother to wait for a response and left.

She stood there smiling at her friend, thinking how lucky she was to have him in her life. Walking into the lounge she could see Carl and Judith sitting on the porch swing. She gathered herself mentally. Telling herself over and over again that it would OK no mater what. "No time like the present." She said to herself, as she walked towards the front door to tell Carl the news and bid him and his sister a farewell.

* * *

Michonne sat in the lounge for an hour after her talk with Carl. Her body slouched on the sofa, mirroring how beat down she felt. Her uniform was dirty from patrolling the walls the night before. Yet, there was still so much to do before she could shower and sleep. She sighed heavily and didn't know how much of this she could take. The look of anger and sadness in his eyes as she hugged them goodbye. The way he walked away from her - head held high; refusing to look back at her when she called out to him. It broke her heart. Michonne lifted her wrist to her face. "Only 10:40am? Fuck..." She mumbled to herself. Feeling drained, both physically and mentally. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on what needed to be done. Talking to her new housemates and Deanna would be easy. But the conversation she would have to have with Rick filled her with dread. Her heart rate began to rise and she could feel her emotions bubbling up. She shook her head and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Michonne sunk down further into the sofa. She knew she had no fight left in her. Her body felt weak and heavy against the soft fabric of the sofa. Without knowing, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Loud foot steps echoed throughout the house as Maggie walked happily towards the kitchen. Feeling the presence of someone, she came to a halt and pulled her knife out of it's holster. She carefully looked around, gingerly placing one foot in front of the other. Careful not to make a sound. Turning the corner she found Michonne sleeping soundly in the lounge. She was haphazardly strewn across the sofa and drooling. She smiled and walked over. Maggie knelt down beside her friend and gently nudged her shoulder.

"Hey you." Maggie said softly as she smiled from ear to ear.

Michonne awkwardly sat up, looking around the room in confusion. "Hey." She smiled back at Maggie; wiping her drool from her mouth.

"I'm home for lunch. Want me to make you something? I feel like I haven't seen you in such a long time." Maggie stood and walked into the kitchen.

"Um, yeah. I'll have whatever you have." Michonne called out to her as she ran her hands over her hair and shirt. She quickly rose from the sofa and followed Maggie into the kitchen.

"You OK?" Maggie asked, giving Michonne the once-over and noticing that she was still in the same clothes she had on the night before.

"Um, yeah. I asked Daryl if I could move in and he said I could have the spare bed in his room. Is...is that OK with you?"

"Of course! You're family. You really didn't need to ask. But thanks for being courteous." Maggie smiled and continued to move items around in the pantry.

Michonne boiled the kettle as Maggie continued rummage through canned goods. She began to feel nervous and looked for anything else to do. Maggie had a way of seeing right through her and she was not ready to relive her pain. Fortunately for Michonne, her friend was too preoccupied to notice. Maggie's eyes were transfixed on all the food she had gathered and placed on the counter: a tin of instant coffee, container of sugar, a loaf of bread, two bowls of instant ramen noodles, and 6 large plums.

"That's a lot of food." Michonne stated with wide eyes.

"I'm hungry!" She exclaimed and playfully pushed her friend as they both laughed. Maggie retrieved two mugs and started shoveling heaped teaspoons of coffee and sugar into them. "Mich?" She asked seriously, not looking at her friend.

"Yeah." Michonne said cautiously; fearing that she could see right through her facade of confidence.

"I heard from Glenn that Rick and Jessie are getting serious. Even moving in. Is that why you're here and not there?"

"Yeah." Michonne straightened her back and held her head high. She steeled herself knowing how Maggie would react.

"Oh, Mich. I'm so..." Maggie began to try and comfort her friend, but stopped mid sentence when she noticed Michonne's rigid body language. Maggie knew that Michonne was not ready to have this conversation with her. She smiled awkwardly, hopping that maybe they could revisit this conversation at a later time. "Never mind." Maggie said as she pat Michonne's shoulder. She walked around the counter picking up a knife and started cutting into the loaf of bread.

"So." Maggie began carefully and watched her friend closely. "Deanna is throwing a welcome party for Morgan. It's been two months since he got here. But, I guess she thinks it's time for a little morale boost. But personally, I think it's more for Reg. Just something to keep his memory alive." Michonne nodded in acknowledgement, but refused to meet Maggie's eyes. Maggie continued, hopping that Michonne would at some point contribute to the dialogue. "So please, pass it on to Daryl. Everyone has to be there. After lunch, I'll be going from house to house to inform the community." She let out a sigh. "I don't get these people sometimes." She shook her head disapprovingly. "I feel like we're just wasting resources." Maggie glanced at Michonne and could see the gears turning in her head.

"Hey," Michonne finally looked up to meet Maggie's eyes, "do you think you could do me a favor? I haven't showered or slept more than a couple of hours, and you'd really be helping me out."

"Sure. What?" Maggie retrieved the kettle and poured the hot water over their noodles and into their mugs of coffee.

"I know you said that I didn't need to ask. But could you inform our housemates that I've moved in, so they're not shocked when they see me walking out of Daryl's room?"

Maggie laughed thinking how scandalous that would be. "Oh my god, that would be some funny shit. Yeah sure, I'll let them know."

"Oh and one more tiny thing." Michonne inched a little closer as if she was divulging a secret.

"Sure. Go on, what is it?" Maggie's said curiously.

"I know you're going to see Deanna sometime later on. Could you please ask her if our group can move into Jessie's old house, when she's done moving into Ricks. We could have three houses. Spread out a little."

"That's a great idea. Some of us might even be able to have our own rooms. Yeah sure, I'll do that." Maggie liked the thought of having more space. She opened the fridge door to retrieve a bottle of water and saw something at the bottom left hand corner of the fridge. "Mich, I think there's something in here for you."

Curiosity getting the better of her. Michonne walked to the fridge and looked in over Maggies shoulder. Inside was a dirty white plastic bag with big bold letters written on it. FOR MICHONNE ONLY. DON'T TOUCH.

Maggie chuckled and shook her head to mimic disapproval. "It's from Daryl ain't it? If anybody didn't know better, they'd think y'all were an item."

"We're not. But I do love that man." She chuckled to herself thinking about how much of a geek Daryl could be sometimes. Michonne pulled the bag out of the fridge. It was deceptively heavy. Excited by the prospect of what could be in the bag, she rips it open. Inside are two full boxes of Big Cat candy bars and a bottle of Château Lafite 1787. She grabs the bottle out and runs her thumb across the faded lettering. Memories of her father receiving a bottle just like this from a wealthy client came flooding back to her. Looking over at Maggie she whispers "This bottle is worth $100,000... Can you even believe that?"

Maggie eyes grew big. "Really?!" She gasped. "You sure there ain't nothing between you two?" Maggie said in a mischievous voice while looking at Michonne's extravagant gift.

Still in absolute disbelief, Michonne ignored Maggie's question. She placed the bottle back into the plastic bag and shoved it into the fridge. "I've got to go." she said quickly, running out of the room and up the stairs.

* * *

Unable to contain the excitement welling up in her she jumps onto Daryl as he slept.

"What?!" Confused and disoriented, Daryl tried desperately to regain his bearings. "Mich, what? What...what's going on?"

She loosened her death grip of a hug on him and sat up. "You are the best. You really are Daryl Dixon."

"And you're just figuring this out now?" He smiled, still feeling a little groggy.

Michonne laughed and looked down at her friend. "That is one expensive bottle of wine. Like 'sexual favors', type of expensive. 'Have me any way you want', type of expensive." She said coyly, trying to feign seduction by batting her eye lashes wildly.

"What?! Get out of here, you trouble maker!" Daryl tried to maintain a stern look of disapproval, but his voice was filled with laughter.

"What? Not interested?" She said, pretending to be disapointed. "I'll have to be Carol, right? In order for you to take the bait?" She smirked.

Daryl grabbed the pillow behind his head and began to playfully hit Michonne. "Shut up!" He yelled as they both erupted in a fit of laughter.

"OK, OK. I get it." Michonne moved to sit at the foot of his bed. "It's our little secret." She paused for a moment before looking at him seriously. "Promise."

Daryl looked over at her while his smile dissipated. "You know. You and I are in the same boat. Carol really likes Tobin. They seem to be spending a lot of time together." He sighed heavily and placed the pillow back behind his head. "Fuck this place." He uttered miserably.

Michonne nodded. Knowing all to well the sting of unrequited love. "Well," she replied sadly, "you're going to love what I have to say next. Deanna is hosting a party tonight. It's compulsory. So we'll both have a great time together staring at all the happy couples."

Daryl groaned and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, lookin' forward to it."

* * *

Maggie placed Michonne's food into the microwave after her unexpected exit. She chugged down her coffee and quickly ate her noodles and bread while leaning over the sink. Michonne and Daryl's laughter permeated through to the kitchen. She smiled to herself, thinking she had never heard either of them laugh so earnestly. She picked up her three plums, shoved them into a bag and quickly cleaned up after herself. Maggie left out the back door, thinking that maybe there was more between Michonne and Daryl. And if she thought it, surely others suspected it too.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wish i could have quickly replied to all your wonderful reviews individually. However, I'm super busy at the moment and I really wanted to post this chapter up quickly and get started on the next.

So hopefully you like the direction I've taken with this new chapter update. *Fingers crossed*

* * *

Sweat trickled down Rick's neck. The intense summer heat made him feel lethargic and heavy. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other; anxious that the sun was setting a little too quickly for his liking. He glanced at the sky and knew they only had about thirty minutes of sunlight left. Concerned, he picked up his axe and walked over to Abraham.

"Hey, how many more logs do we need?" Rick asked.

"For now, about five more. We can place the logs to brace the wall. But eventually we'll need to get some sorta welding equipment."

Rick scanned the wall and agreed with a nod after a moment of silence. "I'll let Glenn know. Anything else we might need?"

Abraham thought for a few seconds before replying, "No. That's 'bout it."

Rick pat Abraham on the back and walked swiftly towards his backpack to retrieve a bottle of water. He consumed half the bottle and emptied the rest over his head. He looked at his watch and realized it was much later than he thought. "Abraham, tell the guys to pack up soon and head in. We've got a party to attend. Looking forward to going home first, though. Haven't eaten all day."

"You going home to eat? Or, you more excited 'bout spending some alone time with your lady friend? Didn't she move in?" Abraham smirked.

Rick chuckled at how swiftly news spread in their little community. "Uh, yeah. She will, probably tomorrow or the day after." He grinned. "But truthfully, I'm excited 'bout getting me some food. It's Sunday, so I'm looking forward to Mich's vegetable roast. I don't know how she does it. I'm drooling just thinkin' 'bout it."

"Michonne? She gonna be there?" Abraham asked, bewildered. He could have sworn that Maggie had told him of Michonne moving out of Rick's house and in with Daryl. The thought of Michonne still going over to cook for Rick and the kids didn't make any sense to him.

"Yeah. Why?" Rick asked suspiciously. He felt it was odd that Abraham would ask about Michonne.

"Oh, no reason." Abraham tried to quickly brush it off. He figured that he might have misheard Maggie. "You go on, I'll take it from here. By the way, congratulations on making it official."

"Thanks. See you at Deanna's!" Rick grabbed his bag, waved and walked off. He smiled, thankful that his shift was over and that he would be able to unwind. Spending sometime with Michonne and the kids was high on his to-do list. While he walked back to the gates of Alexandria, Rick thought of Michonne and Carl. He knew that they had a very close relationship; and if anybody could coax Carl into accepting their new living arrangements, it would be her.

* * *

Daryl tossed and turned in bed quietly, careful not to make a sound. He could hear soft sobs coming from the bed across the room. He opened his eyes to the soft golden light of Michonne's bedside lamp. He lifted his head slightly and looked over to her. Michonne lay on top of her comforter in the fetal position - her back to him and her face to the wall. Her body shook slightly as she sobbed. Daryl sat up, and swung his feet to the floor. He stood and gingerly walked towards her. The floor boards creaked under his weight. Startled, Michonne began to apologize immediately through her tears and hiccups.

"Daryl I'm...so sorry... I promise...to be a better...room mate in...in the future." She chokes a little, trying frantically to control her breathing to abate her hiccups.

Daryl sat down beside her. He looked down at her thinking how fragile she appeared in that moment. Gone was the warrior who single-handily blinded and killed the Governor. This new, vulnerable person was like a stranger to him.

"Mich?" He asked softly. Fearing that if he even so much as touched her shoulder, she would completely come undone.

She brought her hands up to cover her face, not wanting Daryl to see her tears. "Yeah?" She said, in a soft muffled whimper.

Daryl rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. "You're my family. I love you too, ya'know?" He paused momentarily for her response but got none. "And if Rick can't see you for what you are, a bad-ass chick that's in love with him. Someone that would do anything for his kids. Then he's a fuckin' asshole. I can't stand to see you like this Mich."

"Thank you." She manages as she her hiccups subside. "Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you...could you lay down and hold me?" She asked weakly, bringing her hands to her chest.

Daryl hesitated. He looked around the room, wanting to refuse her request, but he just didn't have the heart to. "Um... Sure." He felt awkward and tried to act as normal as he could. He raked his brain for an ice breaker. For something, anything, that he could say that would hopefully make this situation a little less uncomfortable. As he cautiously slid down beside her, he draped his arm loosely over her waist. His body was stiff and straight. He was almost scared to brush up against her. She wore a tight grey crop top and plaid shorts. His eyes ran over her frame; he realized that he had never seen so much of her bare skin before. He cleared his throat and swallowed hard trying to keep his nerves at bay. "Um.." He spoke before he knew what else to say. "Uh. Cry. Or whatever you need to do. I'll lie here and hold you...and imagine you were Carol." They both laughed as Michonne playfully slapped Daryl's hand on her waist.

She could sense that he was jittery and uncomfortable being so close to her. She smiled knowing that he was only doing this, because she had asked him in her time of need. "OK. Deal." Michonne said as she grabbed his forearm and pulled him in closer. "But no funny stuff, I'm not Carol. PG rated, ok?"She joked in an attempt to put him at ease. She looked over her shoulder with a small smile.

Daryl grunted in acknowledgement feeling somewhat sheepish that he wasn't able to hold her gaze. "Of course, idiot." He mumbled, look up at the ceiling.

It took a few minutes for both parties to relax and drift off to sleep. Neither one caring to admit that after years of being alone, it felt good having someone to fall asleep next to.

* * *

Rick ascended the steps to his house two at a time. On the porch he found four large boxes blocking the front door. He picked up two boxes and clumsily shuffled the other two into the house with his feet. Rick placed the boxes down and noticed the house smelled of tuna casserole. He left out a long-suffering sigh as disappointment washed over him.

"Tuna casserole, two nights in a row? Mich, you're killing me. What about our Sunday special?" Rick called out to the kitchen and waited for a response but got none. "Mich?" He called out once more, waiting for Michonne to walk out of the kitchen. Upon hearing approaching footsteps, he continued to talk. "Hey, did you get around to talking to..." He stopped mid sentence, when Jessie appeared.

"Hey!" Jessie said cheerfully and rushed over from the kitchen threshold to greet him. "Oh, sorry. I was going to get around to doing that." Jessie said just as she noticed all her boxes neatly stack to the side of the front door.

"Oh, uh...that's OK, I did it." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Is Michonne in the kitchen?"

She smiled back at him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, you're such a sweetheart." She turned on her heels and walked back into the kitchen, ignoring his question. Just the mention of that woman's name irked her.

Rick followed close behind. He entered the kitchen and made a beeline for a large bowl of peas on the counter. He picked at them for a few seconds watching Jessie closely as she washed dishes. He noticed that she seemed slightly on edge. "Hey, you ok?" Rick asked.

"Packing was a nightmare. And Judith was a close second. She cried for almost an hour. And I'm not even exaggerating."

"Really?" Rick said trying to mask his annoyance. It disturbed him, that Jessie would compare his daughter to a nightmare. However, he was in no mood for an argument and decided to let it go. "Um...was Michonne not here to put her down for her nap?" He said, eating a few peas before continuing. "You know, Judith adores her. She's putty in Michonne's hands."

With her back faced to Rick, Jessie rolled her eyes and took in a sharp deep breath to suppress the anger rising in her. She hated that Rick put Michonne on such a high pedestal. There was nothing that woman couldn't do in his eyes She turned and smiled lovingly at him. "No. I haven't seen her all day." Jessie said sweetly.

"Oh, OK." Rick replied, puzzled. "Where could she be?"

"I might know where she is." She said coyly and sauntered over to Rick, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You know Mrs Neudermyer? Well, she stopped by today to drop off some fruit. She said she saw them through Daryl's kitchen window, hugging. Possibly kissing. She suspects that Michonne and Daryl are a couple. Can you believe that?" She paused when she felt Ricks body tense, but decided to resume the conversation. "And apparently Bruce, you know the guy that works down at construction with Abe; he saw them kissing two nights back! I know you can't rely on gossip. But i just thought it was interesting. So, she's probably still at Daryl's."

"Yeah, interesting." Rick said, suddenly feeling uneasy. He pulled away from her and leaned heavily against the counter. Deep in thought.

"What?" she asked baffled by his stand-offish demeanor towards her.

"None of what you said makes any sense." He furrowed his brows, looking at her seriously.

"Really? Cause I think they'd make a great couple." Jessie retorted.

Rick rolled his eyes. He shifted weight from on foot the other and cocked his head. He was clearly irritated by the subject of Daryl and Michonne. "No, they wouldn't. They're too much alike. And Michonne would've told me."

Jessie scoffed, unwilling to accept his reasoning. "She's not a child. She's a woman. All women have secrets. Even from you."

Rick stood thinking for a few seconds before he spoke. "Besides, Daryl's been out recruiting for over two weeks and just got back today. So Bruce's story is shit." Even as he uttered those word, Rick felt some relief in knowing Bruce's accounts could not be true.

Jessie sighed and moved to stand in front of Rick. "All I'm saying is, she's obviously preoccupied with something or _someone_ else. Which is good for me" She said sweetly, veiling the contempt she held for Michonne. "Cause it means we have more time together." She leaned in for a kiss and waited. Rick was too preoccupied with his thoughts that he did not pick up on her cue. He shrugged and walked to the window, leaving her flustered and embarrassed. Rick struggled with his emotions. He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration; uncertain as to why this topic evoked such strong feelings.

The sound of the front door opening and closing broke Rick from his thoughts. Slow foot steps approached the kitchen. Rick turned from the window to see a distraught Carl come into view.

"Hi, Carl. You hungry?" Jessie asked happily.

Carl ignored her and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge. He gave his father a look of loathing and left for his room.

"Carl!" Rick yelled and followed after him.

Carl was already on the fifth step before Rick called out to him again. He stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to face his father."What?!" He said aggressively. "I'm done for today. I can't deal with anything else. What do you want?!"

Not wanting to exacerbate things any further, Rick inhaled deeply before replying in a calm even tone. "Please get dressed and head over to Deanna's."

"Fine." Carl answered coldly.

"Have you seen Mich?" Rick asked hopping that his son would open up a little if he asked about Michonne.

Carl eyes hardened. Without saying a thing, he turned to walk away.

"Carl!" Rick yelled, angry at his son's blatant disrespect.

Without turning to face his father, Carl looked to the floor. "Ask Daryl." He said bitterly and continued on his way.

Rick watched Carl walk up the stairs feeling sick to his stomach. _Were they really a couple? I gotta talk to Daryl._ He thought begrudgingly.

"Jessie, I'm going over to Daryl's" Rick called out to her. He didn't bother to wait for a response, Rick was already halfway out the back door and out of earshot.

* * *

Rick opened the back door of Daryl's house and stepped over the threshold. He stopped briefly looking around. The house was eerily quiet. He noticed that only a few lights were left on, leaving the rest of house in darkness. He walked further into the house and searched the communal areas. Rick noted that the there were several dirty dishes left in the kitchen and realized that the household had already left for Deanna's. Rick decided leave. He strode towards the back door, but came to a halt in front of the staircase.

"Might as well give it a try" he said out loud to himself; ascending the staircase rapidly.

He walked straight to Daryl's room as it was the only door that was left ajar. Soft light permeated out into the corridor. _Surely he's in there._ Rick thought to himself. He pushed the door open and found an empty unmade bed.

Just as Rick was about to leave, he heard soft breathing. He stood at the threshold and decided to go in. Upon entering, he saw Daryl's plaid covered back. Relieved to have found him, he walked further into the room. He stopped abruptly. His fists begin to ball up involuntarily. He heart rate quickened as anger enveloped him. His feet propelled him forward in the direction of Daryl. Before he could think rationally and stop himself, he had Darly by the collar, throwing him out of the bed.

With a big thud, Daryl's back hit the hard wooden floor. The force was so great that it winded him. Dazed and gasping for air, Daryl's arms flailed frantically to grab for anything to use as a weapon. Before his eyes could adjust to the low light of the room, he was pinned to the floor as punch after punch landed on his face.

Startled, Michonne sprang out of bed and reached for her concealed knife that she had taped to the side of her bedside table. Unsheathing it, she tackled the assailant to the ground. Pinning him on his back. Her full weight, sitting on top him. One hand on his chest as the other held her knife to his neck.

"Rick?" Michonne said confused and breathless as her eyes adapted to the light.

"What the fuck!" Daryl yelled out in pain and frustration as he held his throbbing face. He slowly inched backward till he could lean against the base of his bed.

Michonne slid off Rick and crawled over to Daryl, she cupped his face and worriedly looked him over. She glanced back at Rick baffled by his actions.  
"Rick. What the are you doing?" She asked, stunned.

"I could ask you the same of you." He retorted and scrambled to his feet.

"What?" Not fully understanding what he was implying. She remained seated by Daryl's side with one hand on his shoulder. "I'm not the asshole going around beating people while they're asleep." She said incredulously, in utter disbelief that Rick would intentionally hurt Daryl.

"So, I tell you that Jessie's moving in and this is what you do?! Sleep with Daryl?!" Rick's voice thundered in the small room. He took a few steps towards them, his stance aggressive and threatening.

"What?! Is that what you think this is?!" Michonne screamed back. She rose and quickly moved to put herself between Daryl and Rick. Her arms outstretched pushing against Ricks chest to keep him at a safe distance.

"What else could this be?" His questioned, intensely holding her gaze.

Michonne's blood began to boil. Her eyes grew fierce and her hands clenched into fists. "So what if I did?" She sneered with disdain.

"Mich, stop! Rick..." Daryl shocked by her false admission, tried to interject. But was met with Michonne's furry.

"Be quiet Daryl!" She yelled, not breaking her gaze from Rick's. She dropped her hands from his chest; stood a little taller, and squared her shoulders ready for anything Rick would say or do next.

Rick cocked his head; his piercing blue eyes filled with rage. He was barely holding himself in check. "You know what, fuck you Michonne." He said in a low hoarse tone. His words dripped with venom.

Michonne took a step forward. She was so close that her body softly brushed up against his. She leaned in and whispered, "Well, Daryl's already done that."

Rick faltered and took a step back. Her words cut straight through him. Pain washed over him as his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He looked around the room, unable to stand anymore of their back and forth. Rick felt physically sick. He looked at her once more before he walked out with his head hung low.

* * *

Michonne and Daryl remained silent as they waited for the sound of a door opening and shutting to signify that Rick had vacated the house.

"Mich, why'd you say that for?" Daryl asked, still sitting on the floor and wincing in pain.

"I wanted him to hurt." She said and sat heavily on her bed.

"Trust me. You've hurt him good. You feel good bout this? How it all played out?" Daryl slowly stood and crawled onto his bed.

She shook her head and averted her eyes. "No. But he's the one that came in here accusing me of shit I didn't do."

"Ya'know you could've just told him the truth. It's plain as day light Mich, he cares 'bout you." He gave her a small smile from across the room.

Michonne smiled back and let out a sad laugh. "Well I don't think her cares much for me anymore." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. She fidgeted with her hands and contemplated the mess she had created for them. She sighed heavily and met Daryl's eyes. "You saw how mad he was. Do you really believe he would have bought the truth? That we really were, just sleeping?"

Daryl lay still, letting her words register. "No... So what now?"

"Well... We're going to have to play nice when we see him again tonight." She sat up straight and rolled her shoulders.

"No. I'm not going. Are you crazy?!" Daryl said and watched her closely. He figured time apart from Rick, would be best for the both of them in this situation. But he had a feeling that she would not see it from his point of view.

She stood and walked over to him. "Yeah you are. You're going to be my date." She said and placed her hands confidently on her hips.

"Date?" Daryl looked up at her with horror written on his face. "Michoooooonne! Pleeeeeeeeeeease! You tryin' to get me killed?!" He said in a long-suffering tone.

"No. But he thinks we're together. So w..."

"No, Michonne. This is goin' to turn to shit." He cut her off, hoping that it would be the end of it.

She bit her lip and continued to work on her plan internally. "Daryl you're coming!" She said finally and looked down and him with a big smile.

Unable to listen to any more, he groaned and pulled the pillow out from under his head to cover his face.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said triumphantly. "But first where's the first-aid kit. We have to put some arnica cream on those bruises."

"Box under my bed." He replied flatly from beneath his pillow.

Michonne knelt down to retrieve the box. But noticed there were actually two boxes. A regular cardboard box and a smaller beautiful ornate wooden box. She pulled the wooden box from under the bed and sat momentarily in awe. She reverently ran her finger tips across the wood. It was made of dark mahogany with gold embellishments. She had never seen anything quite so intricate and beautiful. Michonne gently undid the clasp and looked in. Her eyes grew wide as she surveyed the contents. Inside were: several small bottles of perfume, scented soaps, nail lacquers, jewelry and other wonderful trinkets. Shocked, she nudged Daryl's shoulder roughly with her hand. He groaned and lifted the pillow slightly so he could see her out from the corner of his eye.

"Did you know this was back there?" She lifted the box to his eye level.

Daryl brought the pillow to his chest and stared up at the ceiling. "Uh, yeah." He managed after a long exhale.

"All this...it's for Carol?" She asked softly.

"Yeah."

Michonne gently closed the wooden box and returned it to its place. She retrieved the cardboard box and rummaged through it. She glanced sporadically at her friend as she looked for the cream. Her heart wept for him. She wanted to reach out to him; comfort him. She struggled to find the words but decided against saying anything. She reached the bottom of the box and pulled out the tube she'd been looking for.

"Here. Rub that on your pretty face. We've got plans tonight." She said with a mischievous grin still kneeling by his bedside.

Daryl inhaled and exhaled heavily. "Michonne, this isn't a good idea." He said worriedly while holding her gaze.

She smiled and placed her hand on his arm. "Trust me. All I ask, is that you trust me." She stood and walked to her side of the room.

Daryl returned her smile and nodded. He wanted to reason with her. Tell her that she was going to get hurt. But he knew it was pointless. She was just as stubborn as Rick. He knew, he would have to sit back and watch this train-wreck of a plan play itself out. Daryl lay there silently, weighing out the possibility of her plan working out in their favor.

The loud click-clacking of Michonne's stilettos brought Daryl out of his thoughts. He sat up to try and reason with her once more. Stunned. His jaw dropped wide opened. Michonne stood before him in a figure hugging white dress and white and gold heels. Her dress was knee high in length with long sleeves and a tiny gold belt - somewhat conservative. She turned to pick up her earrings that she had left on her pillow. Real panic began to set in. Her dress was backless - the drop of her dress only stopping just above her shapely behind. He swallowed hard as apprehension filled him. "Oh god, I hope Rick doesn't put a bullet in my head tonight." He mumbled nervously to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi everyone! Thank you for all your kind words. Your comments and private messages give me life! lol For real. :) Loved reading every single one of them! I'll try to reply to your comments at the start of the next chapter. By the way, sorry for the VERY delayed update. This was written this afternoon, so please excuse any grammatical/spelling errors etc. Thank you so much for sticking around for chapter 4! Hope you like it :D

A/N: Please keep in mind that the time line for this fan-fic will either overlap or happen simultaneously in some parts. I hope you can follow the story.

* * *

Michonne and Daryl stood side by side. Neither one willing to knock on Deanna's front door. The atmosphere between them is tense and foreboding. Taking a step forward, Michonne inhaled sharply and raised her hand to knock, but hesitated. She looked back at Daryl, hoping for an encouraging smile or nod. Much to her disappointment, she was met with a strained and tired smile as he quickly averted his eyes. It was clear he did not want to be at the party, and his uneasy body language was testament to that. As Michonne watched him momentarily, she began to doubt herself. His anxiety was infectious and unnerving. _Am I doing the right thing,_ she thought to herself. They continued to stand there in silence as they both listened to the muffled sounds of the party within. Michonne swallowed hard, unsure of everything she was about to do next. Pushing her fears aside, she raised her hand once more to knock on Deanna's door. But before her knuckles could touch the door, Daryl's hand shot out to stop her.

Holding her hand in his, he looked at her apprehensively. "When we walk in there, everything will change. Everything." He reiterated while searching her eyes. "Mich, I know we've had this talk…but how do you see this playin' out? I mean, really?"

Pulling away from him, she thought sincerely about his question. "I... I really don't know. All I want, is to put him in his place." She paused once more in thought, only this time it was directed at herself. "Daryl? Does that make me a horrible person?" She asked nervously, unsure as to how he'd answer her.

Daryl scoffed and replied without hesitation, "Of course not, idiot. You're human. But if you're looking to put Rick in his place... Yeah, that's gonna happen. You're gonna get him good. Guaranteed. But, what bout after? Would'ya still want him? Would'ya still love him?" He questioned her further, hoping to understand her endgame or lack thereof.

Michonne became still, reflecting on Daryl's words. She nodded after a moment. "I know, there'll always be something between Rick and I. Would I continue to love him? Yes. Would I still want him? Yes. And I hate that about myself. I hate that I want him and that it hurts me every time I see him with Jessie." She reluctantly admitted staring down at her feet. She could feel herself becoming overly emotional and bit her lip hard in an attempt to stop herself from crying.

Daryl softly draped his arm across her shoulders and pulled her in for a small comforting hug."Yeah." He sighed heavily and lay his head atop of hers. "I thought as much." They stood for a few seconds holding each other before Daryl broke the silence. "Mich, no good can come of this. As clear as day, the guy has feelings for you. I don't know if you get that. You need space, Mich. You both do. Y'all need a minute to think, and sort this out."

She nodded once more. "Yeah, I get it. You're right. We need time apart." She said softly against his chest.

Daryl released her and looked down at her, hardly able to contain his smile. "Really? You know, we don't got to knock on that door. We could just leave." He said, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "I got some of those herbal teas that you like so much. I was saving 'em for Carol, but you could take a couple if you like?" Daryl offered, hoping that tea would be enough to coax her back home and abandon her original plan.

"That's really sweet of you. Thank you. But…Deanna is expecting us to be here. So we have to go in." She said in an apologetic tone, knowing all too well what Daryl's reaction would be.

Utterly crestfallen, Daryl looked at her in disbelief. "Were you even listening to me?" He asked earnestly. "This is a terrible is idea. We really shouldn't go in."

She chuckled softly and looked up at him. "Yes. Of course I listened. But this isn't about us or Rick. It's about keeping our word and showing Deanna that we are reliable. Trustworthy. Deserving of our positions in this community."

"Yeah, I guess." Daryl said feebly, giving in to her logic but not liking direction of the conversation.

"So, let's go in. Have a little fun, drink, and hangout…be civil and leave before Rick notices us." She said, gently nudging his shoulder.

Daryl rubbed his jaw as he became very serious. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not die tonight."

"Stop. Rick won't do anything tonight. Besides, there are too many witnesses." Michonne joked, trying to make light of the situation; hoping it would put Daryl at ease. When he didn't return her smile, she became somber. "Daryl, I'm sorry. But trust me, I know he won't do anything tonight. I won't let anything happen to you. Promise." She felt extreme guilt at what she was forcing him to do, and for the umpteenth time that day thought how grateful she was to have such a loyal friend. "Daryl, look at me. We're not going as a couple. We'll go as friends, OK? Purely platonic. And, we'll keep our distance from Rick and Jessie. I'll sort it out if anything happens."

Unconvinced, Daryl became irritated. "Mich, I ain't even playing no more. You saw how heated he was. He will find us. And when he does, he's gonna put a bullet in my head. Especially with you looking all...sexy." Daryl cringed as he confessed to finding her appearance appealing.

Michonne smiled from ear to ear as her eye brows shot up in surprise. "You think I'm sexy?" She asked mockingly, pretending to pose like a model while blowing kisses at him.

"Stop." He snickered and looked away feeling sheepish.

Michonne smirked at his childlike demeanor and ran her hands down the front of her dress. She flicked her dreads back behind her shoulders and cleared her throat. "OK. But you know, you're pretty hot too." She giggled and confidently placed her hands on her hips. She looked him over and brushed his hair out of his face. "There. She won't be able to resist you. Look at you, all dressed up and looking so handsome. You ready?" She gave him a sly wink, and without waiting for his response she lurched forward and knocked loudly on the door. Daryl stood frozen in his boots, taken off guard. Before he knew what was happening, Michonne's arm was linked with his and they were being welcomed in by Spencer.

* * *

Rick leaned uncomfortably against the wall with his arm around Jessie's waist. Michael Bublé's _You Don't Know Me_ began to play in the background while the soft clinking of cutlery and chatter filled the air. His paid no attention to Jessie or the numerous party guests that came and left after trying to engage him in conversation. His mind was elsewhere. Preoccupied with thoughts of Michonne. Thoughts of her tiny grey crop top and plaid shorts. Of her lips, and how she smelled like vanilla. _Stop thinking about her_ , he angrily scolded himself. But it was useless. Michonne lived in every happy memory he played in his mind. Thinking about her made him involuntarily smile; until the events of the rest of that afternoon came flooding in. His jaw clenched and his body stiffened. With anger and jealousy riding high, Rick scanned the room. He quickly noted that Daryl and Michonne where the only ones from his group that were not present. The collar of his shirt suddenly became a little too tight as he quickly undid the top two buttons. With his eyes anchored on the front door, he contemplated leaving the party to look for Michonne. Before his emotions could overtake him, Jessie tapped his arm.

"Rick?" She asked, waiting for him to look at her before she continued. "You know you'll have to eventually tell me what happened at Daryl's."

"Nothing happened. I'm fine." He lied, as guilt and paranoia set in.

"Are you sure? Cause you were grinding your teeth and staring at the front door."

"Not tonight, OK?" He looked down at her and pulled away. Rick became tense under her scrutiny and hoped she wouldn't notice his racing heat beat.

"Um, sure, OK. Do you want another drink?" She asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Yes. Thank you." He nodded and looked back at the door. As Rick stood engulfed in his own thoughts, he was oblivious to Maggie, whom had come to stand beside him as Jessie left.

Rick glared at the door and started to wonder if he even cared for Jessie anymore. Her voice and caress used to be such a soothing balm, something he always welcomed. But recently everything she did grated on his nerves. Feelings of guilty permeated throughout his whole being. _I love Jessie. Stop thinking about Michonne_ , he scolded himself internally. _You're with Jessie. You're living with Jessie._ Rick continued to assure himself as he tried to suppress his feelings _. Besides Michonne is seeing Daryl. Fuck Daryl!_ His final thoughts made it hard for him to breathe and left his stomach in knots. "Where are you Mich?" He uttered worriedly under his breath.

"Hey. She's gonna be here." Maggie responded loudly to his question, startling Rick.

"Who?" He asked, pretending not to know of whom Maggie was referring to.

Maggie smirked and remained by his side silently observing him.

A loud knock resounded in the foyer. Spencer who was closest to the door strode over to greet the new guests. Rick watched the younger man intently, knowing all the while who would be at the door. Spencer welcomed the guests and moved to the side to allow them to enter. In walked Michonne with her arm linked in Daryl's. They smiled and greeted other guests they passed, and graciously stopped to talk to a few of the older residents. Rick looked back to Spence and noticed his mouth was agape. He was clearly stunned by Michonne's ensemble, but caught himself just in time and adjusted his appearance. Spencer shook his head and smiled. He quickly walked over to Nicholas who had been standing in the corner, waiting patiently to resume their conversation. Rick edged a little closer to listen in on their conversation, pretending to be interested in several books that were within their vicinity.

Spencer's eyes were large with excitement. "Oh. My. God. That dress. That body." He began as Nicholas looked on in amusement. "It's insane how hot she is. It's ridiculous!" Spencer exclaimed and shook his head in disbelief.

Nicholas tried to stifle a laugh. "Who, Michonne? Not my thing." He said shaking his head in disapproval.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Spencer continued breathlessly. "Come with me. You wont be saying that after you get a look at her tonight." He grabbed the front of his friend's shirt and pulled him towards the direction of Michonne. Both men scrambled past Rick, eager to get a look.

Rick's gaze followed the young men as they set up camp across the room ogling Michonne. Rick smiled at how ridiculous they looked. They reminded him of times when he and Shane would hide behind trees in the ninth grade, just to stare at the pretty popular girls. He laughed at the thought, but stopped immediately when Michonne turned to hug Tara and Eugene. For a second he was mesmerized; enjoying the view only for a moment, until he noticed Daryl's hand on her shoulder. Anger rose within him and he found it difficult to stay neutral. He clenched his fists by his side and stared at them intensely.

Maggie, who had seen the whole exchange, cleared her throat to get his attention. "You really, need to stop looking at them like that." She warned.

"Who?" He asked, peeling his eyes away from the happy pair while turning to face Maggie.

"Don't play dumb. They make a cute couple, don't ya think?" She teased, while trying to hide her smile.

Ricks lips thinned and his left eye twitched.

"Hey, you need to relax. I was just playing around with you." She said concerned, realizing the effect her words had on him. "Rick?" She continued gently. "I hope this isn't cause she moved in with Daryl."

Rick eye's flashed with anger. "What?!" He nearly yelled, but stopped himself when he was met with Maggie's stern gaze.

She moved in slightly, and talked to Rick in a hushed tone. Weary of anyone who walked by or stood near. "Rick, Daryl is _just a_ friend. She cares about him deeply, as we all do for each other. I asked her if the reason why she moved out had anything to do with Jessie moving in. She said yes. I think she might have feelings for you Rick. But you'll need to talk to her yourself to find out. I could be wrong."

Rick's stance softened towards Maggie. He thought for a few seconds, but before he could respond Jessie was by his side and placing a cold beverage in his hand. He downed the contents as Jessie looked on in horror.

"Rick, that was a full glass of whisky." Jessie said worriedly.

"Was it? Could you get me another, please?" He asked staring at the empty glass in his hand. Not bothering to acknowledge her presence as she stood beside him.

Jessie smiled and tried conceal her embarrassment in front of Maggie. "Sure" She said warmly and left once more.

Maggie eyes followed Jessie till she was out of earshot. She leaned in and spoke so that only Rick could hear. "You need to take it easy on that girl. It ain't her fault. It's clear you have..." She paused and glanced around for Jessie; then whispered, "…feelings for Michonne. But you need to make your mind up Rick, and decide what you're gonna do with those feelings."

Rick nodded. Maggie could see he was struggling internally with his new and confusing emotions. She leaned in and repeated her sentiments, "Make your mind up Rick. She ain't gonna be single for too long. Especially with all them boys lining up to see her in that little white dress of hers." She gently squeezed his shoulder and left him to his thoughts.

It wasn't long before Rick found himself watching Michonne and Daryl once more. He grew angrier as each second passed that Daryl's hand remained on her shoulder. He could feel his jealously bubbling to the surface again. Rick tried desperately to keep himself in check. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He had to look away when they laughed together and Michonne wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist. His stomach turned and he found it hard to breath. Rick tried to focus on items around the house, but his eyes always found their way back to Michonne - whom now stood snugly under Daryl's arm.

Jessie returned to find a pale Rick leaning against the wall. "You OK?" She asked. "You don't look too good."

"Yeah. It must've been the whisky. I think I'm gonna go out for some air." Rick sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked, hoping for an opportunity to uncover the real reason why he was acting so aloof.

"No; stay. Enjoy yourself. I need some time alone." Rick said curtly, ending the conversation by walking briskly for the back porch door. He needed to be away from her and from them. Rick knew, that if he hadn't left at the moment, he would've had Daryl in a choke hold or worse.

* * *

"By using my astute observational skills. I factored in characteristic traits, verbal and non-verbal communication and other miscellaneous. I would say you were possibly a mechanic or a hick." Eugene surmised but became terrified after he realized what he had just said.

"Whoa, did you just call Daryl Dixon a hick?" Michonne pretended to hold Daryl back by wrapping her arms around his waist as they both laughed.

"Gene, you're lucky I like you." Daryl smiled, showing that he took no offence to the reference. He shook his head and absentmindedly draped his arm around Michonne's shoulders.

"I'm sorry. When I get the neutrons firing in the ole hippocampus, I find it somewhat hard to filter what I say. I, in no way, would intentionally imply that you're a backward country bumpkin or... I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry."

Tara cringed and smiled at Eugene. "You know, you could've just stopped at mechanic." She giggled and softly slapped his arm.

Daryl smiled and became quiet as the girls giggled and thought up different scenarios as to whom would win in a fight between Daryl and Eugene. Every now and then, Eugene's voice would be heard over their laughter; simply stating "Not plausible." or "Highly unlikely."

It was a lively conversation that went on for several minutes. Which Daryl was grateful not to be a part of, but enjoyed being a spectator. He looked around the room for Carol. He found her in the corner of the room on a sofa, curled up next to Tobin. Daryl let out a deep sigh and returned his attention to the conversation at hand. His group had gone from pitting Daryl and Eugene against each other in fictitious situations to what conveniences they most missed about the old world. He listened for a while before checking on Carol again. To his surprise she was no longer on the sofa. He eye's flitted around the room and saw them approaching his small group. Immediately aware of his body language, he dropped his arm from Michonne's frame and took a small step away from her.

Michonne, having picked up on Daryl's agitated state, became anxious. She knew there would only be two people that would evoke this type of reaction from him: Rick or Carol. She straightened her back slightly, steeled herself and waited patiently to hear one of the two voices.

"Hi guys." Carol greeted cheerfully.

Relived that it was not Rick, Michonne turned and smiled."Hi," the group responded in unison apart from Daryl who grunted and nodded in her direction.

"How are the two of you?" Daryl asked, trying to play it cool.

"Good. How's everyone?" Carol replied for both herself and Tobin. She smiled and listened to everyone's response; except for Daryl who remained quiet.

"What about you?" Carol queried and softly touched Daryl's hand, making sure he knew the question was directed at him.

"Uh...yeah, good." He replied bashfully, and quickly dropped his eyes to the floor.

"What happened to your face?" Carol asked, leaning forward and gently ran her fingers across his jawline.

"Uh..." Pulling away, he awkwardly glanced at her through his hair and stared back down at his feet. "Nothin, just some un-neighborly types."

Tara watched their awkward interaction and decided that she and Eugene had somewhere else to be. They quickly excused themselves and left; not before giving Michonne side eyes to tell her to leave as well. Michonne picked up on Tara's cue and asked Tobin if he could help her get drinks for everyone. He obliged; kissed Carol on the forehead and followed Michonne to the drinks table.

"I think you two make an adorable pair." Carol said gesturing towards Michonne.

"What?" Daryl asked, not listening; losing himself momentarily in her clear blue eyes.

"You and Michonne. When did you guys start dating? Didn't she move in with you?" She smiled slyly.

Daryl shifted slightly on his feet, becoming uneasy. "Stop. We ain't dating. We're friends. I care bout her, the same way I care about everyone. Y'all are family to me."

"Could've fooled me." Carol retorted.

"Well, we ain't. We're interested in other people." Daryl eyes remained for a second too long on her lips, before looking around the room.

"Really?" Carol inched closer to him. "Who is this, other mystery woman? An Alexandrian, perhaps?"

Daryl swallowed hard. _Oh god, she's so close,_ he thought to himself. "Well...uh.. she's pretty. Um, and selfless. She's brave and strong. She...she has this smile that makes me..."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Deanna interjected coming to stand by Carol with a huge grin plastered on her face. "Here I am, looking for Michonne and I find you saying such wonderful things about your lady."

Daryl tried desperately to correct her, but Deanna continued to talk over him. "I've heard a lot about you two from Mrs Neudermyer, which is a welcome change from her regular conversation starter. I swear, that lady needs to stop talking about her damn pasta maker. But anyway, seeing that you're living with Michonne, I know you're the best person to talk to."

"Sure. What is it?" Daryl said, trying to hide his annoyance.

"Great!" Deanna exclaimed and pat his arm, oblivious to his discomfort. "Please let her know that Jessie's old house should be ready for your group to move into - possibly as soon as tomorrow evening. Also, Maggie mentioned something about giving Michonne a new duty for a few months. Something about, not wanting to get too rusty using her katana. So I'm switching Michonne and Glenn's jobs. It should all work out. Oh, and one more thing." Deanna paused to catch her breath and to control her building excitement. "The recruitment trips with you and Aaron will have to be postponed indefinitely. Right now we need the both of you and Michonne's team to go on...very specific runs. Runs for...medicine, hospital beds, diapers, formula, and other baby related items. Tell her to come and talk to me about it if she has any problems with the changes. Ok?"

Daryl nodded, slightly confused by her request. "Wait. Is someone pregnant?"

"Um, that could be a possibility." Deanna replied coyly. "But let us not get too carried away speculating who it is. Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I've got to check-in on my son." She smiled warmly at Carol and Daryl and left.

"So, what you think about having another baby around?" Daryl asked, trying to keep conversation going.

She frowned and replied wistfully. "How is this good news? We could lose another person and the baby. Whomever it is…they're being reckless."

"We won't. We're gonna go out and get the things that we need. We are gonna be prepared this time around. It won't be like Lori." He said, trying to remain optimistic.

"You can't say that. Even with all the equipment and medicine, it'll all be useless, unless we have a doctor."

"Thinking like that ain't gonna help no one. We've just gotta be prepared and hope for the best."

"Yeah, I guess." Carol shrugged, still certain that it was a terrible error of judgement on the new parents. There was nothing more to say on the subject and the conversation came to an uncomfortable end. Carol hummed to the faint music in the background as Daryl stood fidgeting with his hands.

"Do you wanna grab a burger with me?" Daryl said, finally cutting through the awkwardness.

Carol, looked up at him and smiled. "You asking me on a date?" She teased.

"Stop." Daryl couldn't help but smile. "So, you wanna go get some? I overheard Spencer saying that there is a bunch of 'em in the microwave."

"Are they even for the party?" Carol asked skeptically. "Cause if they were, they'd be out here for everyone."

"Who cares?! It's food. A slice of spam between two slices of bread. It won't be missed. You coming?"

"Yeah. But next time, you're going to have to put more effort into our dates. A picnic would be nice." She joked and linked her arm in his as they walked towards the kitchen.

He snickered to himself. "So, when you free? So I can start planning something."

Taken aback, Carol came to a halt and looked up at him puzzled. "Are you being serious?"

Daryl's mouth became dry as Carol's blue eyes expectantly looked up at him. "I, I." He swallowed hard and frantically tried to pull himself together. "Yes." He croaked.

Carol resumed their pace, but remained quiet as they continued on their way to the kitchen. Her heart was pounding so hard, that she could barely hear herself think. She had always left hints, or joked that they should date. But it never amounted to more than a smile or a dismissive remark. As they reached the threshold of the kitchen, she gently laced her hand in his. Looking down at her feet she began to speak. "Daryl. I'd love to go on a date with you, but..."

"Tobin?" Daryl asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah…"

"You don't have to say anything else. I'll be here, if and when you need me."

"I'll always need you Daryl Dixon." She looked up at him with a sad smile.

"Yeah. I know." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Excuse me, I've gotta...I'll be back." Daryl gently released her hand left her standing there motionless. He needed a drink and time away from Carol. Being so close and touching her had become unbearable. He knew, if he hadn't have left in that momement he would have stepped over a line that Carol was not ready to step over. She was with Tobin and Daryl knew he had to respect that.

* * *

"What do you mean you don't know any constellations?!" Tobin asked in disbelief as they stood at the drinks table.

"I just never was into the outdoors stuff. That was more Nikkita's thing - my sister. After the turn, I wish I had taken more of an interest in the things that she loved to do." Michonne began to pour whisky into four glasses as she reminisced of the many times her younger sister had begged her to go camping with her. Nikkita was the total opposite of her. She loved hiking, kayaking, and all things outdoorsy. In many ways, it was one of the many reasons why Michonne gravitated towards Daryl. They were so many similarities between Nikkita and Daryl, that it was uncanny. A small sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she wondered if her sister was still out there, somewhere.

The conversation lulled momentarily while Tobin leaned over to retrieve the glasses. He filled them up with ice and soda and placed them carefully on a tray. Glancing over at her, he noticed her sad smile. He thought for a while, then hastily devised a plan to cheer her up. "Well, I can change that. I'll teach ya a thing or two. Draco should be out tonight." He paused, looking back at Carol. "They look happy talking. I think we got some time to spare. C'mon, I'll show ya." He grabbed her wrist and guided her out the large french doors and onto the back porch. Michonne noticed the group of teenagers who huddled in the corner and gave them a small wave as Tobin led her down the steps. It was a clear crisp night. The moon covered the garden in rays of gold, as thousands of tiny fairy lights hung from the trees. Everything about the garden was magical. Abraham and Rosita slow danced under a tree in the near distance, as their barely audible banter filled the night air. Tobin and Michonne came to a stop in the middle of the garden and with their eye's cast to the heavens, Tobin took her hand in his and traced out Draco.

Michonne's eyes were filled with wonder. "Wow," she gasped. "Do you do this with Carol every night?"

"Sometimes." He admitted shyly.

"Well, I can see why Carol likes you. This is really romantic."

"Oh, that's good to know." He chuckled and made a mental note of Carol liking him.

"Do you know any others?" She asked eagerly.

Tobin smiled and reclaimed her hand once more and traced out other constellations. He shared several names and myths as Michonne became enthralled by everything he said. For the first time in a long time, she felt detached from her reality. It was a welcome feeling. A chance to forget about death, food, surviving...and Rick.

* * *

Rick watched from the porch as Michonne and Tobin walked to the center of the garden. They had not noticed him in the shadows behind a pillar as they hurried past. She seemed so comfortable in Tobin's presence, that it troubled him. As the pair talked, they moved closer and closer until they stood a little too close for Rick's liking. Now it seemed that every time he saw her, she was in the company of another man. He had never thought of Michonne as easy, but now he wondered how well he really knew her. _Had she become a flirt? Or was she always like this?_ He thought to himself. Watching her smile at Tobin, cut him. He needed to talk to her and quickly. Mustering up courage, Rick descended the porch steps and walked directly towards Tobin and Michonne.

"Tobin could you please excuse us? I'd like to talk privately with Michonne." Rick said authoritatively.

Tobin didn't move. He felt the tension between the two and didn't think it would be wise to leave her side. "Will you be OK?" He asked Michonne, ignoring Rick's loud exasperated sigh. She nodded and smiled to reassure him. Tobin hesitated, his instincts told him to stay put.

"I'll be fine." Michonne finally voiced, noticing that Tobin would not move until she verbally assured him. She smiled from ear to ear and squeezed his forearm. "Thank you for tonight. It was really special. We've got to do it again."

"Sure. No problem. Anytime." With that, he bid them both a goodnight and left unwillingly.

Rick wasted no time and questioned Michonne. "So, Tobin huh? Should I let Carol know you're moving in on her man? Or Daryl? I never took you to be such a flirt."

"What do you want Rick?" Michonne said coldly as her smile disappeared.

"I just wanted to see how you were." He said matter-of-factly.

"Rick. Cut the bullshit. What do you really want?"

Rick saw no away around and decided to be blunt. "All this, with Daryl, Tobin or whoever. It has to stop."

"What?" She rolled her eyes at him.

"You heard me." He shot back quickly.

Michonne looked up to the sky and scoffed. "Enough. You're being ridiculous."

"I mean it Mich!" He raised his voice, determined to be taken seriously.

"What is wrong with you? Do you even see me as person Rick? A living, breathing person? Someone who has feelings and wants? Someone who's worth a damn?"

"You know I do." Rick said vehemently, angered that she would think otherwise.

"Then I don't need to justify anything to you. My relationships; romantic or not, don't have anything to do with you." In that moment, Michonne saw the pain in his eyes and realized Daryl was right. They should not have come to the party. It was too soon, even for her. She needed to leave before she said something she regretted. "Forget it." She uttered and quickly moved to leave.

Without thinking, Rick sprung forward and grabbed her arm forcefully. "Mich, listen to me! End it now!" He demanded.

Disgusted by his actions, she ripped her arm from his grip. "You don't have a say in anything I do. Who I sleep with or choose to flirt with. You don't own me Rick. What the fuck did I ever see in you?! I once thought of you as my best friend. I used to think I was in lov..." She stopped herself before finishing her sentence. Regret filled her as kicked herself internally. Terrified that she had exposed too much of feelings, she tried to make a beeline for the party once more.

Rick moved urgently to block her path. All his jealously and anger left him in that instance. "You're in love with me?" He asked softly, stepping a little closer.

"Get away from me!" Michonne said heatedly. She schooled her features, careful not to show any emotion.

"Mich, please." Rick pleaded with her. He watched her closely. Noting the slight lift of her chin and straight posture. She was putting up her guard and shutting him out. "Mich, talk to me." He urged.

"Let me get past." She pushed against his chest, but was unable to move him.

She was so close that Rick found it hard to concentrate. Subtle hints of vanilla from her hair wafted through the air and the moon light glistened against her ebony skin. He found the combination intoxicating and the urge to kiss her was overwhelming. Unable to hold himself in check any longer; he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

His lips were soft and warm against hers. Loosing herself in the moment, Michonne melted in his embrace. The smell of his cologne and his hard body pressed flush against her made her head spin. It was everything she hoped it would be - intense and electric. His hands slid down her bare back causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end. She savored every adrenaline fueled second of the kiss. Not wanting it to end. Rick moaned against her lips and broke Michonne out of his spell. Coming to her senses and she pushed him away. Breathless, they both stared at each other for a few seconds.

Rick did not bother to hide his disappointed. He moved to touch her face but stopped himself. Michonne glared at him. Her eyes held nothing but anger. "Mich, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry." He quickly apologized, hoping quell some of her anger towards him. Despite his apology, Rick knew it was only going to escalate.

Rage boiled over within her. She was mad at Rick and herself. Mad that she liked the kiss a little too much. Ashamed that she had allowed herself to give in to him. "I'm not your bitch!" Michonne snapped. "I'm not someone you can use or manipulate with a kiss! Someone you can control. Have you forgotten that you're with Jessie? She's probably walking around that party, right now, looking for you. Run back to her Rick. I refuse to be your dirty little secret."

Rick couldn't look at her. He knew that everything she said right. "Jesus Christ, Mich. Why do you have to checkmate me at every turn. How am I suppose to respond to that without sounding like an ass? What do you want me to say? That I want you and I don't want to be with Jessie? I can't, cause I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I'm lost...I don't know what doing. All I know is I can't be without you. I can't stop thinking bout you. I need you. Please." His voice dripped in desperation.

"Now you tell me that you want me and that you can't live without me and expect me to...to do what exactly?! What am I suppose to do with that? I can't make it right for you any more...you chose who you wanted to share your home with..your bed with...my sweet Judith and Carl with. You chose. What happened, was a mistake." She cowered away from Rick as he reached out for her hand. "I'm done fighting with you, and whatever this is." She paused as her voice wavered, showing the cracks in her armor. "I don't have it in me anymore. I'm just tired of this. You chose who you wanted, Rick. And I'm good with that."

"Mich..." Rick grabbed her waist before she could walk away. "I need you close, I need you by my side. I'm sorry. I...I lov-"

"Don't you dare!" She spat at him, cutting him short. Eyes furious and pooling with tears.

Rick felt nothing but remorse at the sight of her tears. His heart ached for her. He wanted to kiss her again, but decided against it. "Mich please, I lov.."

In one swift motion Michonne landed a thunderous slap across Rick face. He released her and hunched forward holding his jaw. Michonne sneered menacingly, "Don't you ever say that word to me! You don't know the meaning of love. You're selfish! Pathetic! Words like love, actually _mean_ something to me. When you love someone, you put their needs above yours. Like with Carl. You don't even see what you're doing to him. That boy needs you. He's suffering. You chose being with Jessie over him." She took a few steps away before turning back to him. "Rick... Do me one favor, and stay the fuck away from me."

Rick watched Michonne's figure retreat back to the house. He looked around the garden and realized that he was not alone. Rosita and Abraham had seen and possibly heard everything. Rick groaned, and knew he would eventually have explain his behavior to them. He ran a hand through his hair and followed Michonne back to the party. He watched her hips sway as she walked ahead. Even when she wasn't trying, it felt as though she was teasing him. Out of no where Michonne broke into a sprint. Confused, Rick came to an halt. Enid's screams resound through the night, propelling Rick forward with Abraham and Rosita close behind.

* * *

-15min prior-

Carl walked through the party looking for Enid. He had spent most of the evening in the kitchen avoiding his father and Jessie; helping out wherever he could to keep himself busy. Now with nothing to do, he was in desperate need of a friendly face to escape from his emotional turmoil. Everyone at the party looked so happy. He stopped for a minute to take in the setting. People chatted blissfully, eating, drinking and making fools of themselves. One pair in particular caught his eye. Glenn and Maggie. They looked at each other with such love and devotion as they played with his little sister. Glenn playfully pinched and grabbed at Judith's chubby feet pretending to eat them as Maggie struggled to hold onto the flailing toddler. Judith squealed with delight each and every time Glenn lurched forward. The couple would pause every now and then to share an intimate gaze and smile. Carl smiled sadly and thought of Lori, and all the things she was missing out on. He hung his head and fought the tears that began to form. He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind and continued on his search. After several detours and unsolicited conversations about his father and Jessie, he finally found Enid. She was out on the back porch standing in the far corner; talking to Ron and Mickey. He walked over and slid in beside her. She turned to cheerfully greet Carl, but her smile faded as she took in his distraught appearance.

"You ok?" Enid asked with a frown.

"Yeah. Can we go somewhere to talk?" Carl replied in a low tone.

"Sure. But, are you sure you're OK?" She asked once more, not convinced he was telling her the truth.

"My mom...I mean Mich, moved out today." Embarrassed, he quickly corrected himself and smiled. "C'mon" He held her forearm and gestured with his head for them to leave.

Overhearing their conversation, Ron moved to stand in front of Carl. He looked at his peer with disgust. "She isn't you're mom. She's black!" he snickered derisively. "You're freaking delusional." He began to laughed hysterically as Mickey and Enid froze upon hearing his bitter response.

"C'mon man. Stop." Mickey said, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder, pulling him away from Carl.

Ron shoved Mickey a in the chest, causing him to stumble. "Why?!" He exclaimed, furious. "He's a damn looser!"

"Shut. Up." Carl said through gritted teeth. His eyes filled with rage.

"His 'mom' is screwing that red neck. Well, that's what my mom told me." Ron provoked.

"I said, shut up." It took everything in Carl, not to react. The last thing he wanted was to fight in front of Enid.

Moving further into Carl's personal space, Ron proceeded to taunt his counterpart. "You're real mom is dead. And you're black 'mom' doesn't even want to be around you." He smiled sadistically.

Carl rushed at Ron, pining him to the wall. The boys clumsily scuffled pushing each other into the outdoor furniture. Ron, an inexperience fighter, haphazardly threw punches into the air as Carl dodged them. Carl, on the other hand, made sure every punch he threw counted and connected with Ron's face.

"Stop!" Enid screamed repeatedly as she tried to pry the boys apart. But it was no use. Carl was hurt and pushed past his limit. All he could do was react. He was out for blood.

* * *

Hearing the Enid's screams, Michonne sprinted up the stairs. It took a second for her to register what was happening. She quickly instructed Enid and Mickey to back away and pulled Carl towards herself while simultaneously pushing Ron in the opposite direction.

Jessie emerged from the house just in time to see Ron stumbled and fall backward landing on his behind. She ran to cradle her son. Taking in his bloodied and bruised face, she became enraged. "Don't you ever touch my son!" she yelled at Michonne.

Confused, Michonne tried to explain. "You need to calm down, I was just trying to stop their fight."

Party guest poured out of the large french doors and onto the back porch. Drawn out, by Enid's screams. They looked on in shock as Rick, Abraham and Rosita finally made it up the stairs to stand by Michonne.

"You pushed and hurt him!" Jessie rose and screamed. She looked to Rick for support, but he remain quiet. His eyes fixed on Michonne and Carl.

"What?!" Michonne shook her head; becoming steadily aggravated by the other woman. "This was going to escalate. And if I hadn't stepped in, Carl would've seriously injured him. Possibly ended him."

Realizing that Michonne was getting blamed for his actions, Carl quickly walked forward and began to apologize. "Jessie, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Ron, I'm sor..."

Jessie walked briskly towards Carl and forcefully shoved him. "Stay out of this Carl!" Jessie yelled.

Michonne froze. She took in a deep breath and paused momentarily, choosing her words carefully. Her eyes went cold and her voice became low and threatening. She stepped out in front of Carl, and protectively nudged him behind her. "If you so much raise your voice in his direction again, I will come after you. You put your hands on my kid one more time, and I will end you. That's a promise."

Michonne's words sent a chill down Jessie's spine. She became very still. Stunned that Michonne would blatantly threaten her in front of everyone. "Rick, do something." She pleaded when no one stepped forward to help her.

Rick stood dumbfounded. All eyes were now upon him. He swallowed hard, not knowing what to do. He knew he had to chose a side. It was either Michonne or Jessie. "Jessie, I...I, I..." He stuttered, and frantically racked his brain for something to say.

As he stumbled on his words, Michonne saw it as her opportunity to usher Carl away. Carl pulled his arm roughly from her grasp. "Leave me alone!" He spat at her, his tone filled with agony.

"Carl." She uttered his name so lovingly, that he found it hard to look her.

"You're just as bad as him," Carl said as he angrily glanced at his father before looking back at her. "You didn't fight for us! You rolled over and accepted it! You just left us!" He yelled as his face contorted in pain and his eyes welled with tears. "You left me." His voice became unsteady, and his breathing became heavy. "You left me... I hate you." He uttered, as a tear rolled down his check. The loud chatter of the Alexandrians that gathered around them broke the intense moment; making Carl painfully aware of his surroundings. He took a few retreating steps away when he noticed Enid. Ashamed and defeated he ran down the porch steps and into the darkness.

"Carl!" Michonne cried out and tried to pursue him but was gently stopped by Daryl who was suddenly by her side.

"No. Stay. I'll go." He said softly while gently squeezing her hand.

She nodded and fought back tears of her own. "Thank you." She whispered. Daryl gave her a sad smile and quickly ran after the teenager.

Rick attempted to place his hand on Michonne's shoulder to comfort her, but she evaded his touch. "Don't." She said without looking at him. She kicked her heels off, picked them up and walked down the steps.

Rick watched her walk away from him for the second time that night. He wanted to follow after both Carl and Michonne. But figured he was better off tending to Ron and Jessie.


End file.
